The Detroit Pistons got a few steals in the 2020 NBA Draft when they were able to get Isaiah Stewart and Saddiq Bey with the 16th and 19th picks.
Bey is chasing down the rookie record for 3-point shots and has played tough, versatile defense on the perimeter, while Stewart is leading rookies in total blocked shots, rebounds and field goal percentage.
It made me wonder where the two current Pistons’ rookies would rank among all-time draft steals for the Pistons.
To be a “steal” in the draft, a player has to meet a few criteria. Firstly, they have to have been chosen outside of the lottery. Secondly they have to have had a career that was far better than the projections.
It’s basically a guy that the rest of the teams wished they had drafted and feel like fools for passing up.
The Detroit Pistons’ draft history is all over the place
Like most teams, the Pistons’ draft history is a story of hits and misses. Detroit has had several really good draft eras but also a couple where they had some huge misfires.
Joe Dumars was mostly excellent in the draft but was just horrible making trades and overpaid for a few free agents.
Stan Van Gundy was just the opposite, as he made some savvy trades but almost always took the wrong guy in the draft as evidenced by Stanley Johnson and Luke Kennard.
No team has gotten it perfect and most have more misses than hits. Here are ten times the Detroit Pistons got it right and found undervalued talent in the draft. Where do Saddiq Bey and Isaiah Stewart fit on this list?
Let’s take a look.
Detroit Pistons’ draft steals #10: Amir Johnson
The first two on this list are similar players that the Pistons were able to find later in the draft. Amir Johnson was never great but he was a solid pro for 14 years in the NBA.
Considering the Pistons chose him with the 56th overall pick in 2005, that’s a pretty good run, as very few players drafted in this range ever have careers in the NBA.
Johnson was a raw prospect who worked his way into being a solid rotation big in the NBA for over a decade. In fact, the 33-year-old is still playing for the Ignite in the G-League.
Detroit Pistons’ draft steals #9: Theo Ratliff
Theo Ratliff was the 18th pick in the 1995 draft and ended up having a very productive 16-year career in the NBA.
Ratliff averaged 2.4 blocks per game for his career and actually led the league in blocks three times in that span.
He was a quality rebounder and rim-running big man who defended the rim as well as anyone. Ratliff only ended up playing just over two seasons for the Pistons and played for just about every other team in the NBA before his career was over.
Detroit Pistons’ draft steals #8: Arron Affalo
Arron Affalo was taken with the 27th pick in the 2007 NBA Draft and ended up having a very good career, though most of it was with other teams.
Affalo falls into the category of “guys the Pistons should have never let go” category, something we will see quite often on this list.
He was a slow starter but Affalo eventually evolved into one of the best two-guards in the league and had a season for Orlando where he averaged 18.2 points while shooting 42 percent from 3-point range.
The Pistons traded Affalo for a late second-round pick in one of the worst deals they’ve made in recent history, as he ended up being a very productive player.
Detroit Pistons’ draft steals #7: Spencer Dinwiddie
Speaking of guys the Pistons should have never traded, Spencer Dinwiddie is another player who the Pistons traded for nothing who ended up having a good career somewhere else.
Dinwiddie is a player I wouldn’t mind seeing the Pistons bring back, as he is still a productive backup and might be able to be had for cheap since he is coming off an injury.
Dinwiddie was the 38th overall pick in the draft and one the Pistons wish they hadn’t let get away.
He made an All-Star team and averaged over 20 points last season and is still only 27-years-old, so there is time for him to add more accolades to his career.
He was traded for Cameron Bairstow in a move that has to rank as one of the worst trades in recent Pistons’ history.
Affalo and Dinwiddie are good cautionary tales about not giving up on prospects too soon, as some fans would love to do with Sekou Doumbouya.
Detroit Pistons’ draft steals #6: Isaiah Stewart
This is probably a little too high for Stewart considering that he hasn’t even played a full season in the NBA but I am all in on Beef Stew.
He has drawn comparisons to everyone from Ben Wallace to Bam Adebayo due to his high motor, ability to defend all over the floor and his evolving jump shot.
Stewart has even shown some playmaking and passing ability so his ceiling is much higher than people originally expected when he was drafted.
Some people laughed when the Detroit Pistons traded up to get him with the 16th pick, but few are laughing now, as Isaiah Stewart looks like one of the top-ten rookies from his class.
Detroit Pistons’ draft steals #5: Saddiq Bey
All the same disclaimers apply to Bey, as he is only in his rookie season but there is plenty to be excited about.
Bey broke the Pistons’ rookie record for 3-pointers made, is closing in on the all-time NBA record and has done so while defending all over the perimeter and playing like a 10-year pro.
In my opinion, Bey could easily be ranked in the top-five of the 2020 NBA Draft, which is amazing considering he was the 19th overall pick.
His addition also meant getting rid of draft bust Luke Kennard, who is the Clippers’ very expensive problem now.
Bey was clearly the steal of the 2020 NBA Draft and one of the biggest Pistons’ draft steals of all time, even at this young age.
Detroit Pistons’ draft steals #4: Khris Middleton
Middleton is yet another player who the Pistons drafted then traded away for nothing only to watch him become an All-Star on another team. Middleton was taken with the 39th overall pick and then given away as part of the disastrous Brandon Jennings trade with Milwaukee.
Jennings has been out of the NBA for awhile now while Middleton has gone on to be one of the best wings in the league, a consistent 20+ ppg scorer who got a max contract and is now part of one of the best team’s in the Eastern Conference.
You could make a pretty good team out of the guys the Pistons gave up on too early and Middleton is definitely one they would like to have back.
Detroit Pistons’ draft steals #3: Tayshaun Prince
Tayshaun Prince was taken with the 23rd pick in the 2002 draft and if that draft were done again, he’d probably go 2nd.
Prince immediately made an impact for the Pistons, won a title and was the prototype for the 3-and-D wings that are now so valuable in the NBA.
Prince never gets enough credit for being the glue that made the 2004 title team work, as he could defend anyone and always seemed to have a knack for the big play, whether it was knocking down a timely 3-pointer or blocking Reggie Miller’s breakaway to save the game.
Unlike a lot of these guys, Tayshaun played most of his career in Detroit and is considered one of the top Pistons of all time.
Detroit Pistons’ draft steals #2: Joe Dumars
It was a tough call be between these last two guys but eventually Dumars lost out simply because he was taken in the first round with the 18th pick.
Dumars was one of the best two-guards of his era, a tenacious defender, lights-out shooter and the only guy who ever even “slowed” Michael Jordan.
He was named one of the Top 50 Greatest NBA players of all-time, won two titles in Detroit and brought home another one as the GM.
His time in the front office didn’t end well, but that doesn’t sully his overall career with Detroit, which was one of the best in team history.
Detroit Pistons’ draft steals #1: Dennis Rodman
When I think of draft steals, Dennis Rodman is one that immediately comes to mind. He was taken in the second round in 1986, one year after the Pistons took Dumars, so it was a pretty good run for Pistons’ draft picks and shows how crucial the draft is to building a winner.
Rodman was a virtual unknown coming out of college but blossomed into one of the greatest rebounders and defenders of all time, a guy who won multiple titles in both Detroit and Chicago and was an important part of both teams.
You can argue about his personal life and off-the-court antics all you want but Rodman could literally defend any player in the NBA and did it while leading the league in rebounds for the better part of a decade.
It’s a tough call between him and Dumars and Rodman only gets the nod because he was taken later in the draft.
Bey and Stewart are signs that the Detroit Pistons are back to making solid draft picks, let’s just hope they are All-Stars for Detroit and not someone else.